Clement, Balentien not in Rainiers lineup

by JY on Apr 29, 2008 6:37 PM PDT

4/29/08 Rainiers lineup:

Hulett 2B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.111
Chen, Y 3B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.234
Reed CF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.354
Kinkade 1B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.313
LaHair LF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.299
Jimerson DH	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.326
Johnson, R C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.230
Johnson, B RF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.143
Navarro SS	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.298

Hmmm... hmmm... prepare for wild speculation.

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OMG OMG

Maybe….just Maybe!

by Fin on Apr 29, 2008 6:58 PM PDT reply actions

I mean, Vidro and Wilkerson hit the ball well tonight, I’m sure they are ready to get going, they are professional hitters, we’ve got give them time to get their feet wet, I like what I saw from them tonight, they’ve been through the wars.

by tait644 on Apr 29, 2008 7:08 PM PDT reply actions

They're gonna be traded so they got pulled from the lineup!!!

by A Public Alias on Apr 29, 2008 7:29 PM PDT reply actions

Crap

you’re probably right :(

by chrisisasavage on Apr 29, 2008 9:13 PM PDT up reply actions

Johnsons in Tacoma are not hitting well

We don't negotiate with terrorists.

by Mariner John on Apr 29, 2008 8:16 PM PDT reply actions

Speaking of prospects being called up, Max Scherzer is making his major league debut in Arizona.

And is destroying the Astros. Perfect in 3.1 IP so far with 6 K’s.

Felix Hernandez may be The King, but Justin Upton is a GOD.

by Goose on Apr 29, 2008 8:39 PM PDT reply actions

I will kill the first person to talk about his fantasy team

and then I will kill everyone else who talks about his fantasy team

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 29, 2008 8:45 PM PDT up reply actions

God I hate the term "fantasy" team.

by JI on Apr 29, 2008 8:50 PM PDT up reply actions

My fantasy team is full of women

but that’s probably not what you were talking about.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Apr 29, 2008 9:24 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

FTW

by appleshampoo on Apr 29, 2008 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions

Win.

by redwolf75 on Apr 29, 2008 9:49 PM PDT up reply actions

Yeah, he was supposed to be the starter in the last game

of the Rainiers series in Tucson, but he was called up that day.
I thought you’d be pretty stoked about that… guy was unhittable this year.

by marc w on Apr 29, 2008 8:47 PM PDT up reply actions

4.1 perfect innings.

A major league record to start a career according to the broadcast.

Felix Hernandez may be The King, but Justin Upton is a GOD.

by Goose on Apr 29, 2008 8:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Major league record for K's to start a career(in relief at least) is 8.

He has 7.

Felix Hernandez may be The King, but Justin Upton is a GOD.

by Goose on Apr 29, 2008 8:52 PM PDT up reply actions

And he won't get it.

4.1 IP
0 Hits
7K’s
0BB’s
2 Flyouts
4 groundouts.

Felix Hernandez may be The King, but Justin Upton is a GOD.

by Goose on Apr 29, 2008 9:02 PM PDT up reply actions

you know who's still struggling?

Poor guy. Hope the M’s staff can help him.

by marc w on Apr 29, 2008 9:04 PM PDT reply actions

Bavasi won’t deny Clement is being called up

On one hand, man it really sucks that we’re throwing away the service time and it’s only a few more days…

On the other hand, if the Mariners are determined to do this now, we’ll at least get a team that is a hell of a lot more fun to watch. Just lock ‘em up to extensions that take them through what would be their first year of free agency if we waited and make it a non-issue or something…

Yesterday's Pants
A blog-thingy about the Mariners and stuff.

by BrettJMiller on Apr 29, 2008 9:59 PM PDT reply actions

I really really really want to see Clement and Balentien

and I’m still going to be pissed off if this costs them a year.

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 29, 2008 10:06 PM PDT up reply actions

Does it really matter for clement? By the time he hits free agency, his prime

will be there and gone.

by redwolf75 on Apr 29, 2008 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Still doesn't preclude us from resigning him, though.

by redwolf75 on Apr 29, 2008 10:16 PM PDT up reply actions

Maybe they will lock him up anyway, like the Rays did with Evan Longoria

Making the extra service year thing a moot point.

by Fin on Apr 29, 2008 11:34 PM PDT up reply actions

More leverage though if they have an arb year left

They can tell him to take the long term deal or risk it in arbitration vs. testing his value on the FA market

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 8:54 AM PDT up reply actions

It won't cost them a year

he’ll just be a super-2. You’ll get him till 2014 still

Tools Whore

Sign Bonds!

by Tyler on Apr 30, 2008 5:28 AM PDT up reply actions

May 7

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 30, 2008 7:58 AM PDT up reply actions

I am rationally / irrationaly nervous as hell that McLaren won't play them

...but it’s stupid /exciting / potentially awesome as well.

by JI on Apr 29, 2008 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Why irrationally? It's Squinty

I’d say the chances (especially for Wlad) of seeing the field every day can’t be any better than 50/50

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 8:54 AM PDT up reply actions

But here's the thing

The Mariners are on the road for the rest of the week. And who gets sent away if they’re getting called up? Two people on the 25 man would have to disappear, and it would have to leave a roster and a bench that make sense, i.e. not carrying 3 catchers or 5 outfielders.

Maybe Bavasi, who knows the blogs exist and that we watch the minor league clubs, just wants to fuck with us.

by Gomez on Apr 29, 2008 10:11 PM PDT reply actions

I nominate Lowe and Cairo

or Vidro and Cairo, but I have a hard time believing that they’ll release/ bench Vidro this early in the season.

by JI on Apr 29, 2008 10:24 PM PDT up reply actions

Norton goes before Vidro

And he should. I’d say Cairo/Norton.

by Edgar for Pres on Apr 29, 2008 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm for jettisoning that combo.

by Gomez on Apr 29, 2008 10:34 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm not afraid of Norton taking ABs away

I am afraid that Vidro is reinstalled the first time Clement strikes out with a runner on third.

by JI on Apr 29, 2008 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm also afraid that Wlad becomes the new Mike Morse Platoon Buddy for Wilkerson

and only plays against LHP. I’m also afraid that the first time he strikes out at all, Willie Boom Boom is going to replace him…

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 8:56 AM PDT up reply actions

I actually like the idea of Vidro off the bench as a pinch hitter

The whole switch hitting pinch hitter would be useful I think. Plus he makes good contact and draws some walks so thats a plus.

by Edgar for Pres on Apr 30, 2008 9:18 AM PDT up reply actions

Oh and so nobody thinks Burke gets cut/traded?

That seems like one of the more logical things to do if you want Clement to ever catch again. Sure, Burke is nice and I love him but Clement is probably capable enough to spell Kenji a couple times a week which makes Burke basically useless.

Maybe we should cut Cairo/Norton/Vidro/Burke cause they all are pretty useless. We could bring up Chen/Wlad/Clement/(Dickey?)

by Edgar for Pres on Apr 30, 2008 9:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Hmmm the first time I read your proposal

I thought we were bringing up Clement/Wlad/Clement/Dickey, and I was entirely OK with cloning Jeff Clement as well.

I really should wait until I’m fully awake to read LL…

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 9:25 AM PDT up reply actions

If you lose Burke then you can't have Kenji and Clement in the lineup at the same time

by Jeff Sullivan on Apr 30, 2008 9:48 AM PDT up reply actions

Well, you can, if you're okay with the pitcher hitting when Clement moves to Catch from the DH spot, if he's DHing

And I am always in favor of the pitching hitting, for reasons not related to our success.

by Jordan of Boise on Apr 30, 2008 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions

But if our pitcher's hitting,

then the other team’s pitcher has to hit. Or is that only at home? Basball roolz are so confusing.

by DCMariner on Apr 30, 2008 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions

Only if we play the pitcher at 3B.

by Llewdor on Apr 30, 2008 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions

And third moves behind the plate

and somehow Nick Punto is involved in all of this

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions

Nick Punto plays cornerback

by OlSalty on Apr 30, 2008 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions

For who? The San Diego Clippers?

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions

Yeah what are the chances something happens to Kenji

Is it worth carrying Burke on the team to prevent the pitcher from hitting (max 4 PA) in one game if Kenji got hurt? Is a pitcher that much worse a batter than Burke? I just don’t see the value in Burke on this team if you have Kenji/Clement already up.

by Edgar for Pres on Apr 30, 2008 11:38 AM PDT up reply actions

If Clement is the DH

you still need a backup C

by JI on Apr 30, 2008 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions

The DH can move to a fielding position, we just lose the DH rule for the rest of the game

and the pitcher bats in the vacated position. We saw this last year when Ichiro had to move to center from the DH during a game.

The rules aside, I wouldn’t mind keeping Burke along with Joh and Clement – he’s a better bat than Boom-Boom and Cairo, and he makes me smile. Isn’t that enough?

by Jordan of Boise on Apr 30, 2008 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions

To be honest, you might as well keep him

because it’s not like we’re using the bench right now anyway =(

BTW has anyone seen Hyphen lately? I’m starting to get worried.

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions

Obviously.

But it’s not like John McLaren will

A) ever put himself in this situation
B) can be trusted to properly run a platoon

by JI on Apr 30, 2008 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions

Unless you're the home team.

Then you get to choose which rules to follow, or make up new rules as you go.

Is it just me, or is this AJ trade looking worse every day?

by The Alaskan on Apr 30, 2008 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions

Where would you play Chen?

Would be a waste to have him sitting on the bench, and there’s nowhere he could play with Lopez doing well.

by OlSalty on Apr 30, 2008 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions

Yes.

He can be replaced with any random prospect you want who will not in the end ever amount to much over a bench player.

Maybe Reed (or Jimerson) would be a better choice because if Clement ever catches, then Ibanez can go to DH and you can have Wlad/Reed in the OF.

by Edgar for Pres on Apr 30, 2008 11:42 AM PDT up reply actions

DH. It's not like we don't have a light hitting middle infielder DHing already

by seattlebruin on Apr 30, 2008 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions

Now the question is, are they still out of the lineup tomorrow?

by OlSalty on Apr 30, 2008 8:21 AM PDT reply actions

Yeah

My bet is that they’re back in there. The R’s seem to like to throw the B team out there every once in a while.
I mean, Matt Tuiasosopo wasn’t in the line-up either, and I really hope that’s not a sign that he’s on his way up.
Today will tell, I guess.

Adam Bostick for the Zephyrs, a lefty who gets tons of BBs/Ks despite a FB in the high 80s/low 90s – Ryan Feierabend for the R’s (not on the website, but that’s my guess).

by marc w on Apr 30, 2008 9:04 AM PDT up reply actions

Actually, after reading Baker's blog

This gives me hope:

“I asked McLaren, during an upbeat post-game news conference, whether he really felt all that much better about the offense, given the two lone runs before the ninth. That’s when his tone - and the mood of the conference - changed.

McLaren kept dropping the same word - impatient - over and over again, as if bracing the media for what is to come.

“I’m not singling anybody out,’’ McLaren said. “I’m just saying we need to pick it up. Because we’ve got some guys struggling, and like I said, we’ve given them a month and there are options. We know that there are options and we’re not afraid to go to those options if we have to. I hate to say that after a good game, but I’ve got to be honest with you.’‘

Could be McLaren’s typical “You’ve been a naughty offense! Very naughty!” type of teasing, but it’s awfully coincidental.

by OlSalty on Apr 30, 2008 9:15 AM PDT up reply actions